Air cleaner housings often include two parts which need to be secured to one another, to retain the housing closed, during assembly and use. Convenient access to the interior of the housing is often necessary, for servicing. For example, if an air filter element within a housing needs to be serviced, it is typically necessary to release latches, for the housing to be opened.
Air cleaner housings are sometimes mounted on portions of vehicles having a limited field of access. It is desirable and necessary that the latch(es) be convenient to operate, even when access to them is somewhat restricted.
In some instances, plastic housings are used. Such housings may be constructed, for example, from a commodity grade plastic such as Himont polypropylene (20% glass filled) available from DuPont, Wilmington, Del., as HIMONT SB-224-2. Such plastic, especially if relatively thin, can be soft and somewhat subject to fatigue and/or damage upon repeated engagement with a securely clamped latch.